Mia looked at him, a smile turning up her mouth. I reached up, putting my hand on his face. I saw confusion on his face, or was I seeing my own confusion?”
“You ready to go find a Christmas tree?” I asked, looking away and packing up our lunch.
Disappointment flickered on his face for a second before he nodded hesitantly.
Noticing the odd look on his face, I hurried on. “I just meant it’s getting late, so I thought we should get going on our tree search.”
What am I going to do now? I think I love him, but how could I? Right? This is a disaster because my new husband is for sure Trey.
“Let’s do this,” I said to Parker, all smiles. “I can’t wait to put up a tree. We gotta get lights and ornaments too.” I knew I was rambling, but I had to try and find a balance before I fell the wrong way.
Chapter 25
MIA
Shopping for the tree was so much fun. But things between us had been awkward since we got back to the condo, and we went our separate ways, making excuses of something we needed to do.
“We can do the tree decorating tomorrow,” I said, picking up Amoeba while Parker leaned against the couch, looking at the tree in its stand.
“Sure, that works for me. I have phone calls to make anyways,” he said without looking away from the tree.
“Good night Parker,” I said shyly. “Thanks for a fun day.”
I lay on the bed going over the events of the weekend. God knew I wanted Parker, even though I knew I would end up without him in the end. It didn’t make my feelings for him go away.
At five a.m., I padded out of my room and over to the fridge, pulled the door open, and stood staring at the variety of options. I was wide awake after the kiss with Parker and the dance the night before.
Amoeba peeked around the corner, blinking her sweet little eyes that seemed to be asking me what I was doing.
If I’m going to be awake, I might as well eat something. Did we have dinner?
I bent to pat her and she lay down and went back to sleep, so I scooped her up, grabbed an apple from the island, and sank down on the couch. For a moment, the pleasure of being alone in the quiet washed over me then quickly slipped away.
The light over the stove clicked on. I turned to see Parker pull the fridge door open and stare into it as I had moments ago.
“What are you doing up, Mr. Hawthorne?” I asked, attempting an easygoing tone.
He turned from the fridge door, flipped on the coffee maker and, rubbing his neck, he slowly walked over to stand behind the couch.
A shiver rocketed through me when, even in the dark, I could make out his bare chest and sexy bedhead.
“That is a very good question, Ms. Anderson. I simply couldn’t sleep, and I’m hungry. And you?”
“Ditto,” I said. “If that is coffee I smell brewing, I would be willing to beg for a cup of it.”
“What would you like in it?” Parker asked, walking back to grab two coffee mugs from the dish drain. He returned to sit down next to me on the comfy couch, close enough I could feel the heat of his leg through his sweatpants.
Another shiver rifled through me.
Parker stood to flip on the fireplace. “How about some breakfast? And since we’re both up, we might as well decorate the tree.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said. “Let me get some real clothes on, and I’ll help you.”
When I returned to join him at the counter, the sun was trying to come up, and it cast a soft, orangey glow in the room. He had scrambled eggs cooking, and my stomach growled.
“Can I do anything? Make some toast?” I asked getting the bread out of the cabinet
“Sure,” he said. “I put all the ornaments out on the floor. I am actually excited to do this tree.”